Son of a Poor Man
by Gunner'sDream
Summary: Tim's past surprises them all in the most public of ways. The team learns from their friend that while loving is easy, loving and letting go is about as selfless as you can get. And Tim learns that while he may have grown up as the 'son of a poor man', to others he is so much more. Tim, Ziva, Tony, Abby friendship/family fic.


Okay, long time since I posted a new one here. I hope you all like it—I'm quite partial to this one myself. :) This is a team-friendship/family fic focusing on Tim and his past (shocker, I know), with very very slight McGiva if you squint. Oh and also, this took place before Penelope Papers and I took some small liberties on canon facts of Tim's past. Nothing major.

*******What I really want to know from you all is A)what you think of it and B) whether I should expand it a chapter or two or just stop with what I've got and let your own imaginations fill you in on what takes place after. Let me know. Now, enjoy and please review!

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"Guys, Tony, just...be quiet for a minute, okay?" Tim stared with rapt attention at the television screen. The nominee's for best actress were coming across the screen but he didn't pay any attention to the other four names. Only one had his eye.

Three heads swiveled around to stare at him before making eye contact with each other. A closed mouth and a few shrugs later and all attention was back on the television.

"And the Oscar for Best Actress in a leading role goes to...Wyn Chandler for her role as Juliet Cross in _Fat Old Sun_. This is Miss Chandler's first Oscar since she popped on to the acting scene nearly ten years ago. This was her first major leading role..."

A strangled, breathy sound made it's way out of Tim's throat but he didn't move. The announcer's voice trailed off into a background noise for the rooms remaining occupants as their attention once again was on their friend.

"I saw that movie just last week." Tony broke the silence. "Fantastic movie line. Tons of action, bit of romance. And that actress, Chandler, I thought she was pretty good."

"She was brilliant." Tim input without turning away from the screen.

Tony cocked his head to the side and stared at his partner, before shaking his head. Weird.

"Okay, before they announce best actor, anyone want some popcorn?"

"No, thank you." He heard Ziva respond but Abby was nodding her head.

"Yeah, Tony. The good kind, you know, homemade with that caramely sauce that Ziva makes. Ooh! And some chocolate sauce too, Tony! And sprinkles!"

"Abs! There's only like five minutes between award announcements!"

She levelly met his gaze. "Then you'd better get started."

"Abby!"

"Guys! Please!" Tim hissed at them, grabbing the remote and turning it up just as a young woman in a beautiful and shimmery gold dress, that flowed off her in elegant waves took the stage. Her bronze hair was tugged up into an elegant bun that rested on her right side, laying at the nape of her neck. Her makeup was simple, yet chic, with a ruby red lipstick that brought the whole outfit together. To put it simple, Tony thought she was gorgeous. The actress hugged each presenter tightly before accepting the award with a severe sort of reverence in her grip.

"McPissy it's just an acceptance speech. No one—" Tony was cutoff.

"SHH!"

"Hmmp." Tony grunted as he petulantly sunk back into the couch, arms crossed, lips pouty. His best friend had just shushed him! And he hadn't even had the decency to look sorry about it! His mouth, however, stayed quiet as he watched the young woman on stage finally walk up to the podium. Tears brimmed in her eyes, begging to fall over and down her pinkened cheeks but the woman held her head high as if refusing to let them.

"Wow." She chuckled, holding a hand over her mouth. "Very original thing to say, I know."

There was a murmur of laughter from the audience, before Wyn Chandler became serious again.

Tony's eyes, however, were drawn back to Tim, who had a large smile splitting across his face. Tony frowned. Again, weird.

"This is...everything I've ever dreamed of." Wyn started again, smiling down at the statue in her hand. "A lifetime of work along with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into me standing on this stage tonight. It's been nine and a half years. Nine years, one hundred and thirty-seven days to be more precise..." Tony let out a low whistle that no one else acknowledged, "...since I left everything and...everyone that I loved. That I still love. I.." She stopped, clearing her throat and started again. "I know how these speeches are supposed to go." A smile graced her features, "Thanks Mom, thanks Dad, great uncle Albert. Couldn't have done it without you guys." She mimed, in a way that Tony usually would have considered bitchy but coming from her, Wyn...he didn't think their was probably a bitchy bone in her body. She just seemed very sweet and innocent. _Weird._

Tony's gaze traveled back to McGee, who, instead of smiling at the girl's charm along with the rest of them had a sad frown on his face. He was bent over, his chin resting in his hands, his eyes still locked on the screen. The word weird was starting to sound...well, weird.

"I can't say any of that." Tony's attention snapped back to the screen. "I don't have a family. Well, not your traditional one on any account. My mother died in a tornado when I was twelve. A tornado..." She let out a humorless chuckle, "sounds right out of a movie, does it not? They were pretty common back in Kansas though and my best friend lost his mother the very same day."

A gasp broke out, not from the television though, Tony turned to look at Ziva, a question in his eyes. But she just shook her head at both him and Abby. Waiting until she thought everyone's attention was back to the television, she reached out and grabbed onto Tim's hand, holding it both of hers. He didn't look away from the screen though.

"They had been together when it'd hit. Anyways," The young actress shook her head, still holding her tears at bay. "Nearly our whole town was destroyed. We both, my best friend and I, lost our homes and mothers that day. But we still had each other. My father though, was distraught without my mother. He turned to alcohol. Long story short, he and his car lost a fight with a forty year old elm tree. Now," Her voice was strong and rang clear through the stadium of shocked silent spectators. "I didn't share this story for pity or for the recognition of my past troubles or anything like that. No, I told you all of that because it all leads to the one person that brought me here today. Probably, the one reason I'm even alive today. My best friend. My son of a poor man—his wording not mine." She laughed, the tears finally spilling down her cheeks.

"He supported me in every way possible. When I wanted to give into the grief of my lost life, my lost mother, father and childhood home, he wouldn't let me. I can't tell you how many times he put aside his own grief and his own troubles to help me through mine. At sixteen, instead of staying with my father I left with my best friend and his father and sister when they picked up and moved to Maryland. Money was tight, very tight but we got by. We both work hard, carrying multiple jobs at a time. He also went to college and I took acting classes. And when the time came we both admitted it wasn't just friendship between us anymore. We were in love." The actress' ruby red lips pulled into a beautiful smile, her eyes gathering a far away look.

"But he knew my dream and he knew Maryland wasn't the place for a budding actress. H-he always used to say, 'You were born for amazing things, Wynnie. Me, I'll probably never be anything more than the son of a poor man. But I couldn't care less as long as **you** get where you're supposed to be going.'" Her free hand clenched into a fist as she lightly pounded it on the surface of the podium. "He knew I would never leave him but he also knew he couldn't just pick up and leave with me. Not with his military father sick and his younger sister needing her big brother. He tried to convince me to go but I wouldn't listen. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving him, so... I proposed to him." Tony's eyes widened. That was gutsy.

Wyn gave a smile and looked out over the crowd. Tony knew that by now they should be playing the 'your-speech-has-run-over-the-allotted-time' music and all but shoving her off the stage and away from the microphone but no such thing happened. Instead everyone seemed to be hanging on her next words. "He loved me. He really did." She finally started again. "And with that love he gave me gave me the most selfless gift ever." She smiled sadly. "He broke up with me."

There were gasps and 'awws' throughout the theater and Tony vaguely heard him self half shouting, "He what?" before she started talking again.

"Within the week I was on a plane to California. Going to fulfill my dream." She wiped tears still spilling down her cheeks. "I say all of this now because I want him to know that I could have lived a blissfully happy life being nothing more than his wife. Honestly, I could have. But he wanted more for me. More than he, himself, thought he would ever have. He gave me this opportunity and I'd be damned if I didn't make him proud. This," She held up the statue. "makes it all worthwhile. It means all the pain, hope, heartbreak, and absolute assurance he had in me wasn't wasted." Now she looked straight into the camera, the cameraman zooming in on a close-up of her face. "I love you, Zaney," She gave the camera a wink, "and I always will. I know there's not a chance for us anymore, for so many reasons but that's not the point of all of this. The point is to say thank you, to tell you that I miss you, that I love you, and that you will **always** be more than just the son of a poor man." She looked back at the audience. "Thank you."

With that she swept up the little gold man and started making her way off stage to the roar of the audiences claps and cheers, before she suddenly stopped, she grabbed up the bottom of her long dress and ran back—as well as she could run in heels—to the podium. The crowd quieted quickly once again. She looked straight into the camera again and held her statue up. "The next time I get one of these, Zane, it's coming to you." She smiled and with that she dropped her skirt and gracefully made her way off stage, leaving a room full of cheering actresses, actors, directors, and fans on their feet.

Tim hit the mute button on the television, the room suddenly thrust into silence.

Ziva still had a hold of Tim's hand, though he was gripping hers back now in support, while his face held a thoughtful look.

Tony, of course, was the first one to break the silence. "Well that was the most interesting acceptance speech I've ever heard. Glad you made us listen to it, Probie."

Tim's eyes met his and he gave a sharp nod, though his attention was still elsewhere.

"McGee," Abby started but Ziva cut her off. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Tony asked at the same time Tim said, "I—"

All were cutoff by the shrill sound of a cell phone.

McGee reached into his pocket, flipped it open and lifted the phone to his ear.

"Yeah?" A frown marred his face. "Of course I saw it, Sarah." Tim stood up, gently pulling his hand from Ziva's, and made his way into that kitchen that was adjoined to the living room.

Three pairs of eyes followed the young man throughout his short walk, Tony, however quickly turned back to Ziva.

"Talk about what?"

Ziva crossed her arms. "It is not my place to tell."

"It's Tim isn't it, Ziva?" Abby asked her from her spot next to Tony.

The brunette didn't show any sign of confirmation but that in itself was enough.

"What's Tim? If someone doesn't start telling me what's going on some heads are going to roll."

"There are too many similarities for it not to be." Abby lowered her voice, looking back over her shoulder at Tim, still on the phone. "Obviously the fact that he was born in a small town in Kansas and I also knew he lost his mom at a young age but he never did tell me how it happened. I'd always assumed it was a car accident or something."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold everything." Tony waved his hands in the air. "You think that actress, Wyn freaking Chandler, was talking about McGee?" Tony looked back at his friend. "I'll admit the similarities but this guy's name was Zane. She said it twice."

Abby shrugged her shoulders at that logic but her face was set stubborn. Ziva, however, was still giving nothing away.

"Z—" Tony started but she cut him off.

"It is not my place."

"But Z—" He was cutoff again.

"When we were younger Wyn and I used to play this game where she would make up different middle names for me, seeing as my parents never gave me one." Tim walked back into the room, stuffing his phone in his pocket and taking his seat back by Ziva, though he seemed to fold in on himself, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. "She came up with tons of completely ridiculous ones but always went back to Zane. Claiming that it just 'fit me'."

"So, it..that.." Tony became slightly speechless. "You're him. Zaney? Seriously? You're really the 'Son of a Poor Man' she was talking about?"

Tim blushed and ducked his head at the last one but nodded none the less. "We never did have a lot of money when I was a kid. We did fine though. It wasn't until after the tornado hit and we lost Mom and the house that things became really tough. That kind of explains all the odd jobs I told you about a while back, Abs." He met her eyes and she nodded giving him a small smile. "Her dad, as you heard, became dependent on the drink and she basically lived with us from age twelve till our mid-twenties when everything...happened. Her father died the year after we moved to Maryland."

"That's just...wow. Unbelievable." Tony breathed.

Tim gave a small smile. "Not really what I expected when we turned on the TV tonight." He admitted, resting his forehead on his drawn up knees.

"What did you expect, Timmy?" Abby asked leaning forward. "You knew she was up for the award, right?"

Tim raised his head, meeting her eyes. "I don't know. Yeah, I knew and I was praying like crazy she'd win, she deserved it but I never thought..I mean...I can't believe she's so grateful to me. I just...I did what I thought had to be done." He input seriously. "I had always thought a small part of her even kind of resented me for all of it."

Abby nodded along with his thoughts, eyes gentle. "A part of her probably did." She raised a hand to fend off Tony and Ziva's protests. "But not in the way you think, Timmy." She shook her head. "She probably felt very...vulnerable after you broke up with her. Part of her probably always wondered whether you really broke up with her for the reasons you gave her or whether you never really wanted to marry her and used her dream as an excuse."

Tim shot to his feet. His face a mixture of shock, disbelief and anger. "I would never! She has to know I would never! If she ever thought me capable of something like that then she never really knew me at all!" Ziva tugged on his hand, pulling him back to the couch, comfortingly rubbing his back.

"I know, Timmy, I know but sometimes it's hard to be logical when your emotions are running you wild. Don't hold it against her." Tim nodded stiffly, easier said than done.

The girls finally quieted but Tony had something else on his mind. "What about your dad, Probie? I never knew he was sick."

At the mention, Tim's face clouded over and his eyes became hard. "He's fine. Remarried for all I know."

That struck them all speechless. "For all you know? When's the last time you saw him?"

The young man let out a bone deep sigh and dropped his head, running his fingers through his hair. "The last time I saw him was nine years and one hundred and thirty-**six** days ago."

"Jesus." Tony was either the first one to put the two timeframes together or just the first one to voice his thoughts on it.

"It's been going on five years since the last time I talked to him, though. He never forgave me for 'throwing away my future' when I 'sent' Wyn away and I never forgave him for a lot of other things."

Tony was curious and Tim seemed to be willing to share. He figured, at worst, Tim would just tell him to mind his own damn business, so he voiced his question. "You never forgave him for what things?"

He was prying, he knew. That was a very personal question and despite all the things they'd already found out about Tim today, there was a line and Tony was scared he'd just crossed it.

Tim's head snapped up and his eyes bore into Tony's. Tony couldn't look away, even though he knew Tim was searching for something from him. The scrutiny made him twitchy but he didn't turn away, he'd brought it on himself after all.

Tim opened his mouth, his voice low and hoarse. "Wyn's father wasn't the only one who lost it when our mom's died. My father was just more discreet about his vices."

Tim's eyes finally darted away from Tony but the older man didn't notice as he was watching Tim nearly violently rub at his chest.

"It's okay though." Tim continued, not going any further into Tony's question, his hand stilling. "It all brought me to where I am today." He looked up at his friends. "And I like where I am today." He smiled at them and despite the near cheesiness of the situation, they all smiled back.

"That is a very optimistic way of looking at things. I do not think I could ever look at the trials of my past and be so positive about them." Ziva admitted, to which both Tony and Abby nodded along. All of them had their past pains, it was something that actually binded the four of them closer together and made them a more inseparable and unrivaled team.

"Not positive, necessarily." Tim shook his head. "If I could change things, I would. I'd still have my mom and the father of my childhood. Wyn would still have her family. I..I don't know if we'd be together because I just don't see that being possible with me here and her there but...that's okay. It's alright. Something I came to terms with a long time ago." Tim looked down at his hands resting in his lap.

The other three made eye contact. The three faces bore sad expressions but finally after a minute of silent conversation the girls nodded at the Senior Field Agent.

Tony cleared his throat. "You know you could always ask Vance for a transfer." Tim's head snapped up but Tony forged on. "I know the L.A. office would love to have you. Shit, anybody would be lucky to have you but I mean, if you went you could be with her. We'd miss you here and don't misunderstand me, we don't want you to leave, ever but if this is something that you want you should go. From the sounds of it Wyn'd take you back in a second." Tony stopped but the girls were still nodding after he was done.

The shock on Tim's face gave away to a small smile. "Thanks guys, really, but I could never leave you guys." His smile grew at the three sighs of relief. "I love you guys and my life here. I could never just pack up and leave. It would be like giving up the family I already have for nothing more than a chance at a different one. Plus, it, I just don't think Wyn and I could ever work out." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "While the past is why we are still so close today it's also part of what's keeping us from actually trying to make a relationship work. She'd never admit it but kind of like Abby said, she was really hurt when I first broke up with her. Logically she knew why I was doing it but there was probably still a part of her that wondered if it was something else. She was mad at me for a long time. Probably still is a little bit."

"When's the last time you talked to her?"

"It's been a while." He admitted. "Once, after she was settled in California and was getting some small acting parts, I saved up enough money and visited her. Best week of my life probably." He smiled. He looked up and met each of their eyes. "The problem though, was that the lines kept getting crossed."

Tony nodded in understanding while Ziva just cocked her head to the side in question.

Tim smiled. "The line between friends and lovers. At the end of my visit we sat down and talked about it. We both agreed that a long distance relationship wasn't an option and that what we really needed to do was get over each other. And to do that we had to be away from each other." He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "We left on good terms, still best friends, just best friends who don't see or talk to each other." He chuckled but there was no humor in it. "I still haven't talked to her since. It's been about...what? Eight years."

Abby moved over to sit beside him and grabbed his hand. "Don't you think it's about time? She did, after all, just reach out to you over national television."

He rubbed his face with his other hand. "I don't know. It was 'about time' six years ago, I'm just scared when I hear her voice it's all going to come rushing back and it'll be like nothing has changed."

"What did you feel when you saw her on the TV or when you went to see her movie?"

"That I loved her." He rubbed his face again. "God, I love her. I just..don't know what kind of love." He tried to explain. "It's different than it used to be. I've thought about her a lot over the years but seeing her face again is another thing completely. I just, don't know how I feel. And I don't know if I can handle that pain again."

"You'll always wonder until you take the first step. Staying here and hiding behind the 'what if's' is rather cowardly, Timmy. And I've never known my Probie to be cowardly." Tony gave him a stern look. Funny how he knew exactly what Tim needed to hear.

Tim nodded along with him. "Yeah. It's time." His eyes hardened, resolve firming. "I'll call her. Later though, not now."

"Well of course not now. She's at the freaking Oscars right now!" Tony reminded. That was a big deal! His best friend was best friends with a freakin' movie star! Good grief! Tony was running through the ways in his head in which this could benefit him. Autographs, memorabilia, set tours! That was, of course, assuming things went well when Tim finally did call her up again.

Ziva, voice of reason, broke through his thoughts. "You know the media is going to be on you within the week, correct?"

"Yeah, Probie. They'll all wanna be the first one's to find the 'Son of a Poor Man'. It'll take em' what? Ten minutes to connect her back to you?"

"Oh God, Gibbs is ganna kill me!" Tim ran his hand up his face, into his hair, pulling on the strands. "If there're reporters and spam mags following me around while we're trying to work, I'll get fired! Someone could get hurt! Holy shit!"

"McGee!" All heads snapped towards Abby. "Calm. Down. Now. We need to think this through. Calmly." She added with a flip of her pig tails. "Now. Logically and investigatively speaking, how long do you think it will take them to trace her back to you? Are there a lot of things that connect the two of you?"

The change in demeanor was immediate for anyone within a five mile radius of Tim. Gone was the panicked young man and in his place was a seasoned investigator. "Honestly, up until we moved to Maryland when I was sixteen, nothing on paper, other than the fact that we lived on the same block and went to the same high school could probably connect us. Well, actually there is the fact that our mother's were together when the tornado hit but still it's a long shot that they could find it from there."

"That's a good thing. It's also a plus that she called you Zane instead of Tim. It can't be traced back to you in any way other than your childhood games. My guess is she thought of this and was trying to save you from the media hype being able to trace back to you, unfortunately when she said she came to live with you in Maryland, she kinda cooked your goose." Tony scrunched his face up in sympathy.

"It wouldn't have mattered anyway. They'd have just gone back to Holton and asked around. It wouldn't take long to find someone who'd be able to tell em' who it was that Wyn always hung around with. Gah! I'm toast." He said with resignation flopping back onto the couch behind him.

"While I will say you are...toast, as far as the media goes. With Gibbs we are behind you one hundred percent. It is not your fault all of this happened." Ziva patted his head reassuringly.

"Yeah, Probie. Bossman'll understand. What I'm worried about is how we're ganna get around these clowns. Paparazzi is freaking relentless."

"Paparazzi? You really think these people are going to travel all the way here to talk to me? I'm just..me."

"Trust me, they will. And don't tell me you haven't deal with some of this before, Mr. Gemcity. Unfortunately, it'll be a bit before it dies down too. But hey, we're in this together. We'll keep em' away best we can. They won't be able to get inside the Navy Yard that much is sure. So you're safe there. And they'll probably be staking out your apartment so you can crash with me as long as you need."

"Me too!" "Me as well." The girls chimed in.

"Guys I'm already imposing, how long before this gets to be too much? Couple days, week at most? Wouldn't it just be easier to give them what they want?"

"What do you mean give them what they want? Good luck doing that without looking like a fame hungry son of a bitch." Tony said frankly.

"I mean can't I just be like, 'Yeah, I'm him. Take my picture and kindly leave?" He shrugged his shoulders as if it were really that easy. "You respect them they respect you?"

Tony reached out to Gibbs smack his partner on the back of the head when Abby's voice cut through.

"That honestly might work. My friend Antiqua was in the semi-aggressive paparazzi business for a few years when she was living in California and she always used to go on about how it's the ones that try to avoid you and are rude to you that you stick around for, just hoping to find them in some kind of sticky situation that you can exploit. I think you really just need to respect them, no matter how annoying they are they're just trying to do their jobs."

"Their jobs' marketing people's private lives for money." Tony grumbled but begrudgingly conceded. It sounded much better than all the trouble they were planning on going to otherwise. "I'm in. We'll be there the whole time, McFamous. We'll just wait till they all swarm then take you out there for a few pictures, a few questions, then get you back inside the Navy Yard until they disperse. You'll probably still be stuck to desk duty for a few days though. First things first though, we'll have to inform Gibbs in the morning. Sound like a deal?"

"We are in." Ziva spoke for her and Abby.

Tim was nodding, looking at each of them in turn. "Of course. Thank you guys for understanding. It's ganna be a lot to deal with and they won't just stop with me, you know? They'll probably go after Sarah and you guys too."

They all nodded but Abby spoke for the entire group.

"Bring it."

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A/N: What do you think? Expand or call it quits?

Oh! It's important to note that this fic is based off the song 'Son of a Poor Man' by REO Speedwagon. Wonderful song. :)


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